1. Field
The disclosure relates to the manufacture of vehicle tires, and more particularly to the transportation of green tires to a curing station and then the transportation of the cured tires therefrom.
2. Description of Related Art
For manufacturing a tire for a vehicle wheel, a green tire is produced, said green tire comprising green rubber as well as different structural and reinforcing elements, such as textile fiber cables and metal reinforcements. Then the green tire is transported to a curing press in which the rubber is vulcanized. Thus a cured rubber casing is obtained which will form the tire once mounted on a wheel and inflated.
For the vulcanization process, a transport member takes the green tire to a zone from which the green tire is loaded into the press. Then the transport member is moved away. Once the curing has taken place, said same member returns to the loading zone where it receives the cured tire and takes it to a cooling station.
Such a method has drawbacks. More specifically, a return journey for loading the green tire into the press and then a further return journey for unloading the cured tire have to be taken into account. The number of movements carried out by the member is thus relatively high and accounts for a considerable proportion of the cycle time. Moreover, the member is moved to the press once the curing is complete. The cured tire thus remains in the press until the arrival of the member such that it is subjected to additional curing which is liable to be damaging.